birminghamal.gov
Five Birmingham restaurants/chefs have been named as semifinalists for a James Beard Award, the Oscars for the food industry.
From here, restaurant and chef nominees will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, and the winners will be recognized on Monday, June 15 in Chicago during the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony.
The Birmingham semifinalists are:
- Outstanding Chef: Rob McDaniel, Bayonet
- Best Chef (South): Kristen Hall, La Fête
- Best Chef (South): Geri-Martha O’Hara and Ryan O’Hara, Pizza Grace
- Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Eric Bennett, Continental Drift
- Outstanding Hospitality: Bottega
This is not the first time Birmingham’s food scene has garnered national attention. Several restaurants and chefs have received James Beard awards and nominations.
Past Birmingham winners have included:
- Best Chef: South (2022): Automatic Seafood and Oysters Chef Adam Evans
- Outstanding Restaurant (2018): Highlands Bar & Grill
- Outstanding Pastry Chef (2018): Dolester Miles of Highlands Bar & Grill
- Best Chef: South (2012): Hot and Hot Fish Club, Chef Chris Hastings
- Best Chef: Southeast (2001): Highlands Bar & Grill Chef Frank Stitt
This news comes two months after 11 Birmingham restaurants were named in the Michelin Guide American South. Bayonet, La Fete, Pizza Grace and Bottega were mentioned in the November 2025 list.
See the list of all 11 Birmingham restaurants.
Through the years, Birmingham restaurants have gained attention from national publications. The latest recognition came in December 2025, when Afar magazine named Birmingham as one of the best places to travel in 2026. In its article, Afar focused on Birmingham’s food, saying that “James Beard award nominations grow like the kudzu vine” here.
